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Microvascular response in the rabbit ear to total body cooling: A model for study of human digits
Author(s) -
Pollock F. Edward,
Smith Thomas L.,
Koman L. Andrew
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
microsurgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.031
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1098-2752
pISSN - 0738-1085
DOI - 10.1002/micr.1920150613
Subject(s) - medicine , reflex , microcirculation , cold stress , anatomy , blood flow , thermoregulation , replantation , perfusion , numerical digit , vasoconstriction , circulatory system , anesthesia , cardiology , biology , biochemistry , arithmetic , mathematics , gene
Conditions such as Raynaud's disease, cold intolerance following digit replantation, and reflex sympathetic dystrophy are all exacerbated by diminished blood flow in the digits. The rabbit ear, being similar to the human digit, is an excellent model for studying microvascular responses during thermoregulation and was used in this study of microcirculatory changes during total‐body cold stress. In eight rabbits a window was placed in one ear each, and the underlying vascular beds were photographed with the unanesthetized animal at room temperature (23°C) and in a cold room (6°C). Luminal arterial diameters constricted more than venular diameters during cold stress (39.6% vs. 16.5%, respectively, of the control diameters; P = 0.014). All responses were linear; the slopes of the regression lines were significantly different between arterioles and venules ( P < 0.0001). This study suggests that decreased circulation in response to cold is due to decreases in the diameter and number of vessels available for perfusion, as predicted by the Poiseuille equation. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.